Autumn

This background started out as the handy ink blotter for two other cards I was making . . . I was doing the smooshing technique and as always, didn't want to waste any of the ink I'd smeared on my craft sheet . . .

After adding a few spattered drops of black gesso, I deemed it worthy of a card base. 

This card is the maiden voyage of my new double stitched set of dies.  The eight dies in the set don't cut - they just impress double rows of stitching to add lovely texture.  I used the largest one on the orange card base and am in love with the look it provides.  Perhaps I should just leave this set at the ready on my die cutting table . . .

Cardstock:   Bazzill Cutie, Nicole Bristol Smooth        

Stamps:       Stampin’ Up Autumn, CC Rubber Stamps Fibers

Inks:             Distress Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn, Crushed Olive,

                     Wild Honey, Rusty Hinge, Barn Door, Vintage Photo,

                     ColorBox Black, VersaMark

Colorants:    Studio Gesso Black, Marvy Liquid Gold Marker

Emb Powder:   Ranger Gold, Distress Black Soot

Dies:            Ali Express Leaf, Lawn Fawn Just Stitched Rectangles,

                     Simon Says Talk Bubbles                      

Doo Dads:    Inkssentials Enamel Accents Black        

Good to Play

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld always did have a way with words . . .

I'm in a time crunch yet again . . . so I pulled this one out of the stash.  It's a favorite layout of mine for a variety of reasons.  One of the main ones is that I learned it was possible to stamp an image and then run it through an embossing folder without harming any of the detail on the line drawing.  Every single dot and tiny number on the horse schematic is as clear as they were when the cardstock was flat.  I never dreamed that would be the result. Happy surprise!

Cardstock:   Generic Taupe, Bazzill Black, Becket Moonlight          

Stamps:       Lost Coast Steampunk Pony, Cloud Nine Simple

                     Thoughts/Laughter 

Inks:            Archival Black

Colorants:    Copic W4 Warm Grey       

Emb Fldr:     Cuttlebug Herringbone      

Doo Dads:    Gelly Roll Clear Star, Marvy marker Silver, brads

                     Antique Pewter                 

Tags Sample #3

And to wind up the last of the class, another simple tag using a number of die cuts . . .

So many of us have fallen in love with the realization that intricate shapes are entirely possible to create right on our very own craft tables.  Such delicate work used to be entirely out of our reach.  Now, we can cut out the most delicate of doilies easily.  I thought it would be fun to show my students a little of what is possible to create . . .

Cardstock:   Beckett Candlelight, American Crafts Green, Wausau

                     Rocket Red  

Stamps:       CC Rubber Stamps Dot Shader, Celestial Dots, Stampin’

                     Up To/From       

Inks:             ColorBox Frost White, Distress Mowed Lawn

Emb Pwdr:   Hero White

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Doily Details, Lychee Flower Stitched

                     Circles, Tim Holtz Holiday Greens, Gemini Loving Tags: 

                     Heart                                    

Doo Dads:    Baker’s string Red/White               

Tags Sample #2

As with all of the other techniques, embossing was a new experience for these newbie stampers in my classroom at the library.  Along with the previous tag, this one provided an opportunity to get a little more practice with the fun of heat embossing . . .

For most of us, heat embossing was the fascinating technique that enticed us into the joys of rubber stamping.  I love to share it with new stampers whenever I can . . .

Cardstock:   Precut Dark Kraft     

Stamps:       Hero Tiny Ink Spots, Stamp Camp Tiger Marble, Memory

                     Box Presto Flourish, Vivaldi Flourish                    

Inks:             Brilliance Gamma Green, Rocket Red, Distress Gathered

                     Twigs, Mowed Lawn, ColorBox Chiffon White, Fabrico White

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Tag Sale #10                                   

Doo Dads:    Assorted fibers                    

Tags Sample #1

As the rubber stamping class was held in the early Fall and the holidays were looming, I thought making a few tags might be fun.  It was a good way to apply some of the techniques the students had learned with card-making earlier in the class . . .

On this pair of tags, the background was stamped in dark brown and heat dried.  Then, the flourishes were overstamped in Clear ink and Clear embossed.  After sponging on some dark brown color for contrast,  the fabric flowers were added and secured with a brad.

In order to avoid having the To From text interfere with the layout, I usually stamp the words on the back of the tag . . .

Cardstock:   A Stamp in the Hand Tags White

Stamps:       Inkadinkado Script Background, PSX Rosebud Flourish

                     and Stampendous Dream Text, Memory Box Vintage Scroll                      

Inks:             Distress Walnut Stain, VersaMark

Emb Pwdr:   Ranger Clear

Dies:            Papertrey Ink Tag Sale #10                                   

Doo Dads:    Fabric flowers Cream,  Brads Cream, assorted fibers              

On Your Anniversary

As a fallback in case of boo boo's, I had made a number of extra die cut pieces for the library class in rubber stamping I taught last month.  So I've got lots of leftover bits and pieces I can put to use for my own work . . .

 . . . hence the use of both the black and sponged layers.  But instead of a stamped image, I opted to use a die cut in a little different way:  I thought some extra dimension would be interesting, so I frosted it the flowers with embossing paste and scattered on some fine glitter,  In real life, it twinkles quite nicely . . .

Cardstock:   Value Pack White, Bazzill Raven

Stamps:       Impression Obsession “On Your Anniversary”

Inks:             Distress Dusty Concord, Bundled Sage, Faded Jeans

Emb Powder:   Judikins Detail Black

Dies:            Spellbinders Small Mega Deckled Rectangles, Branching Out,

                     Simon Says Fresh Daisies                       

Doo Dads:    Suze Weinberg Dimensional Whipped Paper, Past Time Stamps

                     Multi Ultra Fine Glitter 

EEEK!

Halloween artwork runs the gamut from cute to scary and I have fun playing with all of it!  This year, I went with adorable . . .

Wouldn't you just love to open your front door on Halloween to a gaggle of ghosts like these?

I used metallic cardstock for the EEEK word die cut but the purple shade was off.  Copics to the rescue!  How I love alcohol inks for their ability to change the color of practically every medium out there . . .    

Cardstock:   Bazzill Raven, Nicole Bristol Smooth White      

Stamps:       DRS Ghost Family Portrait, Stacey Stamp Corner Web,

                     Computer Generated “Ghost Family Portrait”

Inks:             Gina K Amalgam Black

Colorants:    Copic C1 Cool Grey #1, V09 Violet

Watercolors:   Zig Real Brush Geranium Red, Orange, Bright Yellow,

                     Light Green, Cobalt Blue, Lilac

Emb Powder:   Stamp Zia Black Sparkle

Dies:            Top Dog Pocket Page: Winter, Frantic Stamper Scary

                     Words: EEEK!, Stampin’ Up Lakeside Framelets: Label